What the Samsung Gallery–OneDrive change means
Samsung Gallery OneDrive integration ending refers to Samsung’s decision to stop syncing photos and videos directly from the built‑in Gallery app to Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud storage, forcing users to change how they back up and access their media. Microsoft has confirmed on its support page that direct OneDrive sync from Samsung Gallery will stop on September 30, 2026. After this date, your photos stored in OneDrive will no longer appear inside the Samsung Gallery app, although the files themselves will remain safe in Microsoft’s cloud and accessible via the OneDrive website or app. Existing users who previously linked Samsung Gallery and OneDrive can keep backing up, but they must switch to OneDrive’s own Camera backup feature instead of relying on the Gallery integration. New users will lose the option to link Gallery and OneDrive altogether once the cutoff arrives.
Key dates, who is affected, and what will stop working
The most important date is September 30, 2026. On that day, Samsung Gallery will stop syncing directly with OneDrive, and all OneDrive photos will disappear from the Gallery interface. The media is not deleted: it stays in your OneDrive account and remains viewable on the web and in the OneDrive app. According to Microsoft’s updated support page, “you’ll lose the ability to sync your photos directly from the Gallery app to OneDrive on September 30, 2026.” Existing users with a linked Gallery–OneDrive setup can keep backing up for now, but they should not expect this path to last beyond the cutoff. New Samsung phone users, or anyone who has never linked Gallery to OneDrive before, will not be able to enable this connection at all once the deadline passes, so they must plan another Samsung phone backup method.
How to keep using OneDrive for Samsung phone backup
If you like Microsoft’s cloud and want to keep your Samsung phone backup in OneDrive, you can, but the process changes. Instead of syncing through Samsung Gallery, you will rely on OneDrive’s Camera backup feature inside the OneDrive app. Microsoft outlines the steps clearly: open the OneDrive app, sign in with your Microsoft account, tap your account profile in the top left, select Camera backup, make sure the right account is chosen, then turn Camera backup on and grant access to photos and videos when prompted. After that, new photos and videos on your Samsung phone should upload automatically to OneDrive again. You can review backup settings, storage usage, and permissions either in the OneDrive app itself or in your device’s system settings so you know exactly what is being backed up and when.
Cloud backup alternatives as Samsung and Microsoft part ways
This OneDrive sync ending marks the end of a long‑running cloud partnership inside Samsung’s default Gallery app and is a good moment to review cloud backup alternatives. Samsung has signaled it will replace OneDrive with its own cloud solution, so future One UI versions are likely to push Samsung’s in‑house backup more strongly. You can also consider other options such as backing up to OneDrive via the dedicated app, using a different cloud photos service, or combining cloud backup with local copies on a computer or external drive. The important thing is to avoid relying on a connection that has a fixed shutdown date. Decide which service you trust with long‑term storage, confirm that automatic upload is enabled, and occasionally check that new shots and videos from your Samsung Gallery are appearing where you expect them.